NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Justin Chase has joined Makovsky, one of the world's largest independent integrated communications firms, as Chief Digital Officer and Executive Vice President, effective immediately. In his new role, Justin will be responsible for the oversight, strategy and growth of Makovsky's Digital Practice, spanning practice-wide digital and social media initiatives on behalf of the firm. He will both collaborate with current practices and lead a separate digital practice.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=36641
Before joining Makovsky, Justin was Founder and President at Hypertonic, a social health agency focused on integrating innovative digital solutions into the changing health ecosystem. At Hypertonic, he was successful in building and selling a social intelligence product to nine of the top 50 pharmaceutical companies in the world, and was instrumental in launching many treatments, brands, products and medical devices. Through his leadership, Justin was responsible for Hypertonic's significant growth into a multimillion-dollar agency within just three years.
Prior to Hypertonic, Justin was involved in the development of Digitas Health New York, where he helped to secure relationships with many Digitas clients. Justin also started the social strategy business for one of the leading social technology vendors, and launched MobFlow, the mobile division of Fluent Media, a global performance marketing company. Additionally, Justin held key leadership positions with Attention/MDC.
Justin has created award-winning B2B and B2C campaigns with leading brands in health, consumer products, technology that include Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, Novartis, Samsung, Kraft, Six Flags and The Weather Channel. In addition, he has distinguished himself in the industry by leading numerous webcasts, keynotes and panels at industry conferences such as AppsWorld, AppsNation, SXSW, Digital-Pharma, Houston Social Media Club and Social Media Week.
Ken Makovsky, the firm's founder, president and CEO, said, "With Justin, we have brought in a strategic marketer who has both run and built agencies for the digital, social and mobile age. This gives us a tremendous weapon in our arsenal that allows us to build strong digital capabilities, imbed digital into nearly everything that we do and lead our clients with strategies that are disruptive, relevant and shaped by our progressive view of what PR means today. I'm very pleased he will direct this important growth area in order for us to fully provide the best in digital communications for our clients."
"It's an honor to be part of a team with such a rich history and tremendous reputation for thought leadership." stated Justin Chase. "I'm thrilled to have the resources and thought power behind me to translate energy to action. I believe we are at an inflection point and as good agency partners, we mirror our clients, while helping them find deeper truths in their audiences. The agility of this agency will allow me, and the rest of the team, to get to those truths more adeptly, while generating directional outputs."
"We're thrilled to have Justin join our team at Makovsky," remarked Stacey Wachtfogel, Chief Human Resources Officer. "Justin's expertise architecting digital, social and mobile disciplines will shape Makovsky's path to being the leading firm for digital and social communications."
About Makovsky
Founded in 1979, Makovsky (www.makovsky.com) is one of the nation's largest and most influential independent integrated communications firms. The firm attributes its success to its original vision: that the Power of Specialized Thinking™ is the best way to build reputation, sales and fair valuation for a client. Based in New York City, the firm has agency partners with nearly 2,000 professionals in 100 cities through IPREX (IPREX.com), the second largest worldwide public relations agency partnership, of which Makovsky is the founder.
In 2014 and 2015, Makovsky has won more than 50 awards for the agency, its client campaigns and its people. Recently the firm was ranked #7 in The New York Observer "PR Power 40 List" of the most influential firms in New York City.
The photo is also available via AP PhotoExpress.
